When Hussain (as) placed his head in prostration and was struck on the neck, he might have physically been martyred but his legacy lives on eternally. He showed that love can defeat hate, righteousness can defeat might, eloquence can defeat hostility and faith can defeat desire. He stood alone and stared into the eyes of thirty thousand blood thirsty murderers and did not move away from his principles. This is a message to us that throughout our lives, no matter what tribulations or tests we face, our faith should be unflinching.

Today the name “Hussain” is more than a description of an individual personality; it is a beacon of hope for those in the dark midst of despair, it is a revolutionary movement, it is synonymous with the true essence of life.

1400 years ago, a man stood alone in a barren desert, distant from his home. He was covered from head to toe in blood, an arrow piercing every single piece of his flesh and surrounded by the shadows of unsheathed swords. Despite being plunged into the depths of despair, having undergone the most severe of all tribulations and having witnessed one heartbreaking moment after another, he did not stop to think of himself; instead, he remembered our ummah (nation). His only hope was that, through sacrificing everything he had, a spark would be lit to light the candle of our faith forever. On that 10th day of Muharram 61AH, in Karbala, that man, Hussain ibn Ali (AS), remembered everyone but for those ten days, no-one remembered him. We serve in his way and strive to spread his remembrance far and wide so that one day, the echo of his last breath will resonate throughout the universe.